Allerton Estate & Garden of Hawaii travel guide ** inside tips, attractions, and info about Allerton Garden

Hawaii > Attractions > Allerton Estate & Garden
 
Address:
3530 Papalina Road

Location:
Kalaheo, Kauai

Phone:
(808) 332-7324



Official Site


  Overview       Inside Tips

Those who escape getting busted at the infamous Po'ipu Road speed traps and evade being washed off the Spouting Horn ledge -- it's sort of a saltwater Old Faithful -- because they peeked into its hole from the ocean side, can enjoy the tropical wonders of the Allerton Estate. It's 100 acres of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens (NTBG) that also includes the 186-acre Lawaii Gardens where part of Jurassic Park was filmed. Many experts consider the complex of the Allerton Estate and the adjacent Lawaii Gardens to be the finest tropical gardens in the Western Hemisphere. Lawai-kai, as it is known in Hawaiian, was originally envisioned by Hawaii's Queen Emma in the late 19th century and then by Alexander McBryde at the turn of the 20th century. The Allerton's, for whom the estate is named, added their collection of statues, topiary, and well-considered floral additions to Queen Emma's purple bougainvillea and the native plants that include many now rare species. The NTBG runs everything here for the Allerton Trust, and the NTBG greenhouses hold a number of interesting, and often endangered, species. Visitors can enjoy both gardens and wonderful views of the bay below the estate where it's not impossible to see whales or a diver's boat. Fortunately, the weather is a lot drier here with about 36 inches a year, rather than the record 440 inches a year up on Mount Wai'ale'ale. Despite this fact, there are plenty of ponds, waterfalls, fountains, pools and other water features. Simply put, gardeners and birders must allow more time than the usual 2 ½ hour tour. Binoculars help on arboreal blooms and the unique birds -- birder's can add five to 10 birds to most life lists. There's some walking and some riding in open-top sampans Guided tours cost $30 each and leave from the Visitor Center across the road from the Spouting Horn.

Hotel Guides

Big City Hotels

Click Here For
More Cities

Click For
Tickets to Events

 
Sponsored links
Grandfather Clocks

Best Prices Direct To Your Home

 

 


For Your Next Destination
Copyright 123TravelGuide.com and 123hawaii.net 2005, 2006
Question or Comments? Drop us an Email